Clothes drier with condenser



Oct. 21, 1958 Filed Aug. 6, 1956 E. J. FREY CLOTHES DRIER WITH CONDENSER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.` 50W/IRD J. FREV E. J. FREY CLOTHES DRIER WITH CONDENSER Oct. 2l, 1958 4 Sheeiis--Shee'cl 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1956 l ,0 /o .w 44 i 4, M 4 Ja n w Tf Q @we oo7A oo o Z/f o /o @o e4, o/o/ o oo o o Qa 'IVI 14, oo ca oo e\ o a@ oo o oo 2X oo o 3 xo on oo o 2 INVENTOR.

v, vl www J m MX, M w MIM 6 Oct. 21, 1958 Filed Aug. 6, 1956 E. J. FREY CLOTHES IJRIER WITH CONDENSER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 oct. 21, 195s E, J, FREy 2,856,699

CLOTHES DRIER WITH CONDENSER Filed Aug. "5, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. "HH J. fff BY a ,g c

United States Patent O CLOTHES DRIER WITH CONDENSER Edward J. Frey, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 6, 1956, Serial No. 602,342 8 Claims. (Cl. 34-75) This invention relates to domestic appliances and more particularly to laundry Washing and/ or drying apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus in which the moisture in damp clothes within a rotating perforated drum is evaporated by the application of heat, and the vapor thus produced is condensed by owing cooling water on the outside of said drum.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clothes dryer having a perforated drum within which the moisture in damp clothes is evaporated and around which a vapor condensing zone is produced outside said drum by impinging a cold water spray outside said drum between perforations in said drum to produce a condensing spray without the necessity of stationary protecting baffles outside said drum.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clothes dryer with a perforated rotating damp clothes containing drum having an imperforate surface of revolution on the outer surface of which cooling water may liow to condense vapor driven otf of said wet clothes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clothes dryer with a rotating drum having outwardly extruded perforations and having means for flowing and spraying cooling water between said perforations to produce a cooling film or spray outside said drum which is prevented from flowing into said drum by the outward anges of said perforations.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference Ibeing had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a 'front view, partly in section, and partly diagrammatic, of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section along the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a part of the drum shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, broken horizontal cross-section taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view, somewhat similar to Figure l, showing another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the drum shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical cross-section of a portion of the periphery of the drum shown in Figures 5 and 6 An outer casing or tub 10 conveniently may be mounted within a cabinet 11 by a pedestal or spring mount construction diagrammatically indicated at 12. A perforated rotatable drum 13 is mounted within the casing 10 by means of a rotatable drive shaft'14 supported by the bearing 15 carried by the rear wall 16 of the tub 10. A suitable transmissiom not shown, such as a belt consturction with or without a single or multiple speed clutch may rotate the shaft 14 and drum 13 trom a motor 16a. If the machine is a dryer only, the drum is rotated at clothes tumbling speed only. If the machine is a com- ICC bined washer and dryer, then the drum 13 is rotated at clothes tumbling speeds during the washing and` drying operations, and is rotated at centrifugal, moisture extracting speed after the washing or rinsing operations and before the drying operation.

The periphery of the drum 13 is provided with a continuous, imperforate surface of revolution such as the imperforate indented band 17 and/or the imperforate drum end walls 18 and 19. The band 17 preferably has a plurality yof indented branches or grooves 20 which are downwardly slanted on the downwardly rotating side of the drum, as shown in Figure 3, and which are upwardly directed on the upwardly rotating side of the drum, as shown in Figure 2. The drum rotates counterclockwise when Viewed from the front as indicated by arrow 20a.

The drum 13 has perforations 21 which are outwardly extruded as indicated at 22, Figure 4 to prevent any inward flow of cooling water ilowing on the main outer surface 23 of the drum.

Heating means are provided to heat the damp clothes in the drum and to vaporize the moisture in the clothes.

Such heating means may take the form of an electrical resistance 24 at the upper part of the tub 10. Such heater may be controlled by manually adjustable thermostat 24a and timer 24b in the usual manner. Any other heating means may be used such as a gas heater or the like, not shown.

Means are provided to ilow cooling water on the outside of the drum 13 against the outer surface of the imperforate surface of revolution of drum 13, such as the band 17, and/or either of the end walls 18 and 19. Such means may take the form of a pipe or nozzle 25 which Hows or impinges a stream of cooling water 26 against the outer surface of band 17 and/or either of the end walls 18 and 19. If the band 17 is used, the water which flows on its outer surface is distributed by the downwardly directed grooves 20 (Figure 4) between 'the outwardly extruded perforations 21. The stream 26 flows the cooling water on the outside of the downwardly rotating side of the drum. It is not necessary to provide a stationary baflle or the like between, the drum 13 and tub 10 to prevent inward flow o'f cooling water into the drum and to prevent wettingof the clothes. This method of owing the cooling water prevents such inward flow, and at the same time produces a very eicient condensing action on the vapor driven from the moist clothes.

The cooling water ilows down to the lbottom of the tub and enters the outlet 27, outlet pipe 28, pump 29 and discharge hose 30 leading to a drain or laundry tub. If desired, the outlet 27 may include a solenoid 31 for controlling a drain valve at the outlet, particularly when the machine is used as a combined dryer and washer.

The ow of cooling Water yat 26 may be controlled by a solenoid valve 32 connected to a suitable cold water supply pipe. The valve construction 32 may also include a hot water connection with a hot water supply pipe, and

may include a constant flow construction to insure the proper formation of stream 26 and/or the: introduction of the proper amount of wash water under the control of the timer, if the machine is a combined dryer-Washer, as is readily understood.

If it is desired alternatively or additionally to tlow cooling water on imperforate surfaces of revolution on the end Walls 18 and/or 19, this may be accomplished by alternate or additional pipes 40 and/ or 41 under the control of valve 32 or additional or alternate valves, not shown.

If a cabinet 11 is used, a relatively large door 42 may be hinged to the cabinet 11 and cover the relatively large opening 43 in the front wall 44 of the cabinet 11. A second door 45, of smaller size, may be hinged to the front wall 46 of the tub 10 and cover the opening 47, also of smaller size, in wall 46. The opening or ange 47 may telescope into the outwardly directed Hange or opening- 48 in the front wall 18 of drum 13. The door 45 may be tightly secured and sealed by a suitable flexible seal 50 carried by the' tuby or" door 45' as desired. The door 45 may be provided withy al l'atch 51 for aiding sealing the door 45 to` they tub.

In the modification shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, all of the parts are substantially as previously described in connection with Figures 1 to 4, and some of the parts are marked withl similar reference numerals. However, the peripheryof thed'r-um iscorrugated transversely to form transverse hills 55 and valleys 56. An imperforate surface of revolution may be formed by an imperforate band 17a uponV which the stream 26 impinges. in this embodiment, a splashing action takes place where the stream 26 encounters the rotating drum. The drum is rotated clockwise, when viewed from the front, and as indicated by the'arrow 60. The stream 26 may be forcible enough to c'ause a splashing or spraying' action upon its contact with n drum 13.- The perforations 21 are outwardlyextruded, as in` Figures 1 to 4, and that prevents the inward ow of cooling water into the drum. No stationary barile is required forv this.

In' the operation, clothes are inserted into the drum 13 'f of the machine through openings 43, 47 and 48. if the machine'is solely a dryer, the drum 13 rotates at a clothes tumbling speed by motor 16a. The heater 24 is energized and the cooling water valve 32 is opened to produce the cooling water vjet 26. The moisture from the wet or damp clothes which were inserted into the drum is vaporized by the heat from heater 24. The vapor ows out openings 21 to the space between the drum 13 and tub or casing 10, where the vapor is condensed by the spray and film of cooling water from stream 26. The cooling water and condensed vapor ilow out through outlet 27 and are discharged through hose 3i! to a drain or laundry tub. Such operations may be under the control of the timer and the heater may'be thermostatically controlled.

if the machine is a combined washer-dryer, the Washing, rinsing and centrifugal water extracting operations may be the same asnow well known and under proper automatic controls, and hence are not further described. The drying operation may be performed on the damp clothes in the drum after the washing, rinsing and centrifugal-extractingoperations substantially as described in the preceding paragraph.

In Figures l to 4, the drum receives the cooling stream of water on its downwardly rotating side and the water tends to form a nlm on the outside of the drum, which is distributed by the band 17 and branches 20 to the outer surface of the drum.-

In Figures to 7, the drum receives the cooling stream on the upwardly'rotating side of the drum. This action produces av spray in the zone between the drum and tub which is avery efficient vapor condenser. No stationary baffles are required to prevent the inward ow of water into the drum.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is` to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination: an outer casing; a perforatedy generally cylindrical rotatable drum within saidv casing and having on its cylindrical periphery a continuous imperforate surface of revolution; heating means :to heat clothes 4, in said drum; and means to ow cooling water on the cylindrical periphery ofAY said druml against the outer face of said imperforate surface of revolution.

2. In combination: an outer casing; a perforated rotatable drum within said casing, said drum having outwardly extruded perforations to prevent inward flow of water into said drum; heatingI means to heat clothes in said drum; and means to ow cooling water on the outside of said drum against the surface between the outwardly extruded perforations.

3. ln combination: an outer casing; a perforated rotatable drum within said casing and having a continuous irnperforate surface of revolution including a continuous imperforate band along the central portion of the periphery of said drum; means to heat clothes in said drum; and means to flow cooling water on the outside of said drum against said continuous imperforate band of said imperforate surface of revolution.

4. in combination: an outer casing; a perforated rotataole drum within said casing and having. a continuous imperio-rate surface of revolutionl including a continuous imperforate band along the central portion of the periph'- ery of said drum and branches along theperiphery of said drum extending'toward'the ends of said drum; means to heat clothes in said drum; and means to iiow cooling water on the outside of said drum against said continuous imperforate band of said imperforate surface of revolutio-n.

5. In combination: an outer casing; a perforated rotatable drum within said casing and having a continuous, corrugated imperf'orate surface of revolution; heating rieans to heat clothes in said drum; and means to flow cooling water on the outside of said drum against said imperforate surface of revolution.

6. In combination: an outer casing; a perforated rotatale drum within said casing and having a continuous, corrugated imperforate surfaces of revolution; heating means to heat clothes in said drum; and means to flow coolingl water on and splash water from the outside of `said continuous, corrugated imperforate surface of revolution.

7. A laundry dryer including a casing, a rotatable clothes container within saidA casing, means for heating the clothes in said container to evaporate liquid therefrom, means for directing a stream of cooling fluid directly onto the outer surface of said container to condense the evaporated liquid, said casing being provided with a drainy outlet for Said cooling fluid, said container having external grooving for receiving the cooling fluid and perforations adjacent said grooving through which the evaporated liquid may flow from the clothes to the cooling uid.

8; A laundry dryer including a casing, a rotatable clothes containing drum having a perforatedrperiphery rotatably mounted within the casing, means for heating the clothes in the drum to evaporategliquid therefrom, means for directing a stream of cooling fluid onto the outer surface of said drum to condense the evaporated liquid, said casing being provided with a drain outlet, said drum having grooving between perforations of its per forated periphery for receiving the cooling uid.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITEDr STATES PATENTS 

